Game apparatus



` April 6, 1943a c. M. PESHAL 2,315,872

GAME APPARATUS C I. C 50 /567 3 2 #8 Inventur* [.MgF'EsI-lal zo MEQ Fit :1v1-H255 April 6 1943- c:r M. PEsHAl. GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug'. 19, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fit-t :T1-1 E g5 April 6, 1943. l c, M. PEsHAL 2,315,372

GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19. 1940 s sheets-sheet s a gw /70 iv 5T-\4a w Inventar 4 E,M.`Fesha1 fav/ ffl( Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Carl M. Peshal, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner of onel half to Bolus S. Wisniewski, Milwaukee, Wis.

This invention appertains to games and game apparatus, and more particularly to a counter selector and delivering device.

One of the primary objects of my invention is the provision of a novel apparatus for selecting numbered balls or other counters, one at a time, by chance from a group of such counters, the device being particularly susceptible for use in games of the type played by a large assemblage of persons and commonly known to the public as Another object of my invention is to provide means actuated by the operator of the devi-ce for agitating and mixing the group of counters each time a single counter is selected therefrom, wherel of such counters to the group of counters in the body portion of the device, so that the device will be instantly ready for the replaying of another game. f

A further important object of my invention is to provide a large indicating board in full view of and( clearly visible to all of the players, the board having numbers or the like corresponding to the numbers or markings on the counters and table, with electric lamps for selectively illuminating said numbers, and means for automatically closing circuits through thelamps as the selected counters are placed upon the table to visually indicate to the players the number of each counter as selected.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means on the table automatically operated from the counter release device for indicating to the operator of the machine the number of games played.

A Vstill further object of my invention is to provide means for indicating on the display board thernumber of games played automatically operated from the means on the machine for indicating to the operator the number of games played.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, ar-

rangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved device, with parts thereof broken away and in section to illustrate structural detail.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the machine, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing one end of the agitator and selector board in its raised position for delivering a single counter to the operator.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the machine, taken. on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction ,of the arrows, andillustrating the mechanism for releasing the counters after the playing of a game. 1

Figure 3A is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3 and showing the Counterjrelease mechanism rin its: actuated position for permitting the simultaneous returnV of the selected counters tothe group of counters in the body of the machine.

Figure 4 is a detail, transverse sectional view taken onthe line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the counterv selector in its raised position for delivering a counter to the operator.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4, but showing the counter selector in its` lowered position for receiving a counter from the counter agitating board. L

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of vFigure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows,

showing thecounter selector.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary, detail, plan vview showing'the normal position of the counter Arelease plate'and the operating stud for the game indicating pointer.

Figure' is a view similar to Figure 7, showing the operated position of the counter releaseplate and the movement of the stud by said plate.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8 and showing the release plate moved back to its normal position, with the stud for' the game indicating pointer advanced one notch or step by said plate.

Figure 10 is an enlarged, detail, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the line I-IO of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the game indicating pointer.

Figure 11 is a View illustrating the wiring dia- Lgrain for the indicating board and the operators evice.

-rest upon the release plate.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my novel game apparatus, and the same is in the nature of a reotangular box or receptacle, and, hence, the same includes a bottom wall I5, end walls I6 and I1, and longitudinally extending side walls I8 and I9. This body portion of the apparatus can be provided with suitable feet 20 for resting upon a suitable surface, and the top of the body is closed by a removable table or cover plate 2|. This cover plate has formed therein a series of longitudinally extending rows of equidistantly spaced openings 22 into which are adapted to be placed counters 23 selected from a group of counters in the body portion, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The counters are of such a size as to freely pass through the openings. Y

As the counters are selected and placed in the openings, the same are held against falling through the openings by a slidable release plate 24. 'I'he counter release plate 24 is provided with longitudinally extending slots 25. The' side edges yof the release plate are slidably received in supporting guide tracks 26, which extend transversely of the body, and these tracks can be secured in position in any preferred manner. As illustrated, the ends of the tracks are secured by fastening elements 21 to corner posts 28 forming a part of the body of the box or receptacle.

In the normal position of the release plate, the slots 25 are disposed out of registration with the openings 22, and, hence, the counters, as selected, When the release plate is shifted, the slots 25 can be brought below the openings 22 for permitting the simultaneous release of all of the selected balls into the body of the box.

Inone form'of my game device, the balls or counters can be consecutively numbered, and, in this instance, the playing table 2| is provided adjacent the openings 22 with consecutive numbers, and as a counter is selected, the number thereof is announced and this counter is placed in the opening having a corresponding number.

The means for actuating the release plate 24 can consist of an operating plunger 29, and this plunger extends through the side wall I9 and is provided with an operating h and grip 30. The

' rear end of the plunger is secured to a depending angle bracket 3 Irmly fastened to the lower face of the release plate. In order to normally hold the release plate 24 in its ball or counter supporting position, the plunger 29 has coiled thereabout an expansion spring 32. This spring is conned between the angle bracket 3| and the inner 'face of the wall I9.

One of the important features of my invention is the provision of novel means for agitating and mixing the counters in the body and for selecting and delivering one of the counters by chance to the operator of the machine. This means includes a rocking, agitating board 33, and this board is secured intermediate its ends, as at 34, to a transversely extending rock shaft 35. The shaft 35 is rockably mounted in the side walls I8 and i I9, and one end of the shaft protrudes through the. wall I9 and has secured thereto an operating lever 36. The group of counters rests upon the selector board, and, obviously, by operating the lever 36, the board can be rocked back and forth for agitating and mixing the counters.

One end of the board 33 terminates short of the end wall I1 of the body or casing, and this top of the selector member.

end of the board has connected therewith a ball or counter receiving trough 31. Arranged Within the body or casing adjacent the side wall I1 and in front of the agitating and selector board I3 is disposed a shield 38 for preventing the balls from running off the board as the board is rocked back and forth. The upper end of the shield carries a counter guide channel 39 which, in eiect, forms a continuation of the trough 31, and when the end of the board 33 carrying the trough is elevated, the trough is in longitudinal alinement with the channel, and both the trough 31 and the channel 39 incline downwardly toward a rigid vertically disposed guide tube 46.

This guide tube 40 extends from the bottom wall I5 of the body or casing to and through the table or cover plate 2|, and the guide tube is provided with an opening 4| into which the channel 39 extends, so that the balls or counters can roll freely into the guide sleeve.

Freely mounted within the guide sleeve is the ball selector and elevator member 42. This member is of cylindrical construction, and when the same is in its lowered position, the opening 4I is uncovered thereby and a counter can roll into the guide tube 40 and on the upper end of the cylindrical member 42. When the cylindrical selector member 42 is elevated, its body portion closes the opening 4| for preventing the further admittance of the counters into the guide sleeve, and the selector member. during its upward movement, will carry a selected ball above the table top 2| and in view of the'players. The operator can then remove the ball from the selector member and place the same in the proper numbered opening.

In accordance with my invention, the counter selector member 42 is operated with the agitating board 33, and, consequently, the counter selector member 42 adjacent its lower end-carries the laterally extending ring 43, which loosely encircles a stud or bolt 44 carried by an arm 45 rigidly secured to the adjacent end of the agitating board 33. If preferred, rubber or similar pads 46 can be placed about the stud or bolt 44 to eliminate shock and reduce noise incident to the operation of the machine.

From the description so far, it can be seen that each time the lever 36 is pressed down, the agitator board 33 carrying the trough 31 and the selector member 42 will be depressed, and a counter will roll into the guide tube 40 and on Upon the return of the lever 36 to its raised position, the agitator board 33 will be rocked in the opposite direction, and the trough 31 and theselector member 4l) willbe elevated, and a counter will be raised above the playing table 2|.

In order to normally hold the group of counters in a lowered position away from the trough 31 and the lever 36 in a raised position, one of the fastening bolts 34 employed for connecting the agitating board 33 to the rock shaft 35 is extended a. considerable distance below the rock shaft, and this bolt has connected thereto a contractile coil spring 41. The other end of the coil spring 41 is suitably anchored, as at 48, to the casing or body. The bottom wall I5 can be provided with sponge rubber bumper pads 49 adjacent the opposite ends of the agitator board, so as to reduce shock and noise incident to the operation of the board.

In playing games of the Bingo type, it is important to keep track of the number of games played, both from the standpoint of the operator and players.

In order that the operator will have a positive means for keeping track of the games played,

a game number indicating pointer B is provided.

This pointer 50 is rigidly secured to a stud 5|, and the stud is mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the playing table 2| in a guide slot 52. The stud 5l extends through the slot and into the body or casing, and also through the ball or counter release plate 24. At equidistantly spaced points along the slot 52, the playing table is consecutively numbered, and the pointer 5|) is adapted to move along the slot from one number to the other, and these numbers indicated by the reference characters 53 indicate the number of games being played.

To prevent error and mistakes in operating the game number indicating pointer 50, I have provided means for automatically actuating the pointer the distance between the numbers 53 on each operation of the ball release plate 24. This means includes a longitudinally extending slot 54 formed in the ball or counter release plate 24, and each longitudinal edge of the slot 54 is provided with a row of ratchet teeth 55 and 56. The teeth of the row of ratchet teeth 56 are out of alinement with the teeth of the row of ratchet teeth 55, and said teeth 56 lie between the teeth 55.

The operation of the pointer 50 is as follows (see Figures 7, 8, and 9). During the playing of the first game, the pointer 5D lies at the extreme lefthand end of the slot and over the number l of the game indicating numbers 53. After the game has been played and the balls are to be released, the hand grip 35 is pulled out- Wardly, carrying the ball release plate 24 forwardly to permit the dropping of the balls onto the agitator board As the release plate 24 moves forwardly, the stud 5| of the pointer 5l] engages the inclined face of the first ratchet tooth 56, and the stud is slid in its slot 52 to the right, as shown in Figure 8.

Upon the release of the handle 3B and the return of the release plate 24 by the spring 29, the stud 5| will engage the inclined face of the adjacent ratchet tooth 55, and this face will continue the sliding movement of the stud in the slot 52, as shown in Figure 9. The teeth 56 and 55 are so arranged that upon each movement of the release plate, the pointer `lvill travel from one number to the other of the row of numbers 53.

In some clubs Where the game is played daily or weekly by a great number oi persons, it is advisable to provide a large indicating board in the room for indicating visually to the players the numbers of the counters as the same are selected.

In connection with my novel apparatus A, I can provide means for automatically and electrically operating such a board. As illustrated in Figure l1, an indicating board 60 can be provided, and this board can have transluscent inserts 6| therein, and these inserts can be consecutively numbered to correspond to the numbers on the counters and the numbers for the ball openings in the apparatus.

The numbers on the translucent plate 6| are adapted to be illuminated by lamps 62, and the circuits through these lamps can be automatically closed by a counter as the counter is played in the correct opening 22 on the table top and on top of the release board 24. To carry out this feature, the release board 24 can be formed from electric insulating material, and the upper face of the board adjacent .each slot 25 can be provided with` a series of electric conducting strips 63. Arranged alongside each strip 63 and in spaced relation thereto are independent short contact strips 64, and there is a short contact strip 64 for each ball opening in the table top.

In the normal position of the release board 24 the contact stri-ps 63 and the short contacts 64 are disposed below the ball openings, and when a ball is played in an opening, the same is adapted to rest upon one of the short contacts 64 and on one of the strips 63, so as to bridge these contacts.

The long contact strips 63 are connected together b-y buss wires 65, and one of the strips is then connected by Wires 66 and 61 to one terminal of a battery 68 or other source of electrical energy. The short contacts 64 are each connected by separate Wires 69 to one terminal of its proper indicating lamp 62, and the other terminals of all of the indicating lamps 62 vare grounded to a common lead wire 10 leading to the other terminal of the battery 68 of the other source of electrical energy.

From the above, it is to be understood that there is a short contact 64 for each indicating lamp, and the contact strip, for instance, for the ball opening number l is connected with the indicating lamp placed in rear of the transluscent panel 6| on the scoreboard bearing the correspending indicia number 1.

Thus, upon the selecting of a ball or counter' proper indicating lamp on the indicating board.

It will also be advisable to provide visual means for indicating to the players the number of the game being played, and, consequently, I arrange in rear of ,each numbered transluscent panel 6| a colored indicating lamp 1|. The circuits through the colored indicating lamps 1| are controlled by the position of the pointer 50. Consequently, I mount below the release board 24 a longitudinally extending contact carrying insulating panel 12.

The ends of this panel 12 can be suitably secured to the corner posts 28. The panel 12 has connected thereto a longitudinally extending continuous contact strip 13, and this strip is disposed on one side of a longitudinally extending slot 14 formed in the panel 12. The slot 14 is in vertical alinement with the slot 52 in the table, and the stud 5| for the game pointer extends through said slot 14.

On the other side of the slot 14 from the continuous contact strip 13 is provided a plurality of equidistantly spaced short contacts 15. There is a contact 15 for each one of the game indicating numbers 53, and the stud 5| carries an electrical conducting bridge-piece 16 for traveling movement over the continuous contact strips 13 and from one short contact 15 to the other.

In order to maintain a desired contact between thel bridge-piece 16 and the contact strip 13 and the contacts 15, the stud 5| has its lower end provided with an abutment 11. A spring 18 is coiled about the stud and engages the abutment and the lower face of the panel 12. Consequently, the spring pulls down on the stud and urges the bridge-piece into .engagement with the contact.

' Topermit the closing of the circuits through the desired gameindicating color lamps 1I, the continuous bridge strip 13 has connected therewith an electrical conducting wire 19, which leads to and is electrically connected with the wire 61, which leads to the source of electrical energy. A separate electric conducting wire 8i] is connected to each short contact 15, and these wires lead to one terminal of the correct colored game indicating lamp 1l; that is, the Wire 80, which is connected with the short contact 15 under the number l of the game indicating numbers 53 leads t the game indicating lamp 'H in rear of the translucent panel bearing the indicating number 1.v The other terminals of the colored game indicating lamps Il are also connected to a `common return wire 8 I, and this wire is, in turn, connected to the wire 70, which leads back to the source of electrical energy.

From the description so far it can be seen that as thev stud 5I for the pointer 5i] is automatically actuated by the movement of the release panel 24, the bridge-piece 'I6 carried by the stud will be moved from one contact 'I5 to the other.

When the desired numlber of games have been played, the release plate 24 is pushed lpartially in until the stud 5| lies between the rack Ibars 55 and 56, after which the operator grasps the pointer 50 and slides the same manually to the left to the number l game position. Upon release of the plate 24, the apparatus is ready for the .playing of a new group of games.

The body or casing can be made from any desired materials and suitably treated to enhance the appearance thereof. The end walls I6 and l1 can be provided with handles 85 to facilitate the moving of the apparatus from place to Iplace. If Ipreferred, the Wall I8, which faces the players can be formed from glass or other transparent material, so that the players can see the counters being moved back and forth during the operation of the machine.

It is also to be understood that the machine can be made in any size and that small inexpensive game devices can be manufactured, embodying the principles of my invention for home use.

--.5 Also, large machines of an ornamental character embodying the principles of my invention can also be made, and, if preferred, these large machines can be coin-controlled; that is, some conventional means can be provided for preventing 10 the operation of the machine until a coin of a suitable denomination has been deposited.

From the foregoing description it can ibe seen that the machines can be constructed either with or without the electrical signal appliance.

Changes in details may be made without delparting from the spirit or the scope of my invention, lbut what I claim as new is:

In a game apparatus, a hollow body, an agitating board rockably mounted in said body for supporting a group of counters, manual means for rocking the board to shift the counters back iand forth, means for selecting one counter at a time from the group of counters and for delivering the selected counter exteriorly of the box upon each movement of the lboard, said means in- `cluding an inclined trough on one end of the board for receiving counters a stationary guard having a channel for receiving counters from the trough when the end of the board carrying the trough is in a raised position, a vertically disposed guide sleeve extending through the table having a counter receiving opening in alinement with the channel, and a cylindrical counter receiving member slidably mounted in the guide normally closing said opening and adapted to extend below the opening for receiving a counter when the end of the board carrying the trough is in a depressed condition, and means for operatively connecting the cylindrical counter selector mem-ber with the board.

CARL M. PESI-IAL. 

